The Kelly Sister's Guide to Love
by GingerX
Summary: Ava Kelly's life has always been full of taking care of her sisters, cleaning gutters, and being perpetually pantless. Then her sister married James Potter, and things were never quite the same.
1. Working Class Hero

**Chapter One**

**Working Class Hero**

"When they've tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years  
Then they expect you to pick a career  
When you can't really function you're so full of fear  
A working class hero is something to be"

_John Lennon_

_Who the fuck?_

This was all Ava Kelly could think, as she staggered haphazardly through the upstairs hallway, tripping over the various junk that had been thrown on the floor. She growled to herself, and swore vengeance on the perpetrator, making sure to bang the wall with her fist on the way down the steps. She was not a morning person, and cursed the traps that had delayed her caffeine intake. She didn't care if someone injected her with an IV filled with the stuff, she knew she had to have it, and immediately. She squinted, peering into the kitchen, trying to raise her eyelids to an acceptable level. The bold smell of a freshly roasted pot of coffee filled her nostrils.

She fucking hated the smell of coffee.

It was disgusting, and she had always hated the smell, the taste, the entire entity. She wanted to kill the creator and put him through some grotesque torture. With that thought fresh on her mind, she grabbed a mug from the cabinet and filled it three-quarters of the way with the stuff. She filled the rest with creamer and sugar, making it halfway drinkable. She flinched as the piercing sound of rock music hit her ears.

"Turn that shit down!" she yelled banging on the wall. The music was only turned up louder forcing her to emit an angry whimper. She stomped out the back door and let the screen door slam shut. She forcefully gulped down the coffee, before she sat the cup on the pink ornate table in front of her. She lit a cigarette and took a long drawl, wishing she was back in bed. The only thing worse than coffee, was coffee and cigarettes. Too bad she was addicted to caffeine and nicotine. She looked over to her right at the Fitzgerald house, noticing their teenage son Jack standing on the back porch staring at her. She gave him a glare, and he recoiled slightly. Who the hell did he think he was looking at?

Ava looked down at her clothes, and she realized with embarrassment that he was staring at her with good reason. She was quite frankly, a mess. When she tiredly crawled into bed last night, she did not care much for what she slept in. She would have slept nude if Emma didn't have an awful track record of stumbling into her room drunk, asking about some obscure event that happened when they were younger. And usually Emma was almost nude. She was wearing just an old oversized t-shirt (left over from some terrible one night stand) that proudly proclaimed "Keep Calm and Show Me Your TATAS." Her pale unshaven legs stood out, and her nipples bulged braless from underneath the shirt.

Then, Mrs. Fitzgerald came out yelling at her son, before noticing Ava. She gave a yelp when she took in Ava's appearance.

"Get inside now Jack!" she howled.

"But mom!" he complained, to no avail. Mrs. Fitzgerald was already pushing him inside the door; her hands firmly wrapped around the front of his innocent eyes. He flailed as his mother tried her best to hide him from the scarlet woman.

"This is highly inappropriate Ava!" she screeched. "What would your grandmother say?" Ava wanted to tell the cow to go fuck herself, but she refrained, because her grandmother surely wouldn't like that. Instead she took the higher road, butted her cigarette and went back into the house. The rock music was still blaring and Erin Kelly sat on a stool at the kitchen island, her shoulders perfectly square.

"What happened to you?" she asked raising her arched eyebrows. What Erin received in response was a low guttural sound of recognition that yes; she knew she looked like shit, and she didn't need a perfectionist like Erin telling her so. Erin could not imagine leaving her bedroom before being properly pampered, and fully dressed. It was a habit that had blossomed from being a child that washed her hands fifty times a day. Erin sat daintily eating her grapefruit and yogurt, looking the fitting image of a 50s house ware advertisement. Her full cherry dress flared out underneath her navy cardigan to about mid calf, and her feet were outfitted with her signature black low-heeled mary janes. Add in the headband that held back her straight auburn hair, and Ava was disgusted. _Did anyone actually eat grapefruit?_

"Stop giving me that look sugar," Erin said without looking up.

"What look?"

"The disgusted one," she stated calmly taking a bite of her grapefruit, the sun streaming from the window illuminating the brown freckles across her nose.

"Stop being disgusting then and we won't have a problem," Ava replied, nuking a frozen burrito in the microwave.

"You're just mad that you can't look this gorgeous all the time. Must be hard, being the ugly sister."

"I'll ugly sister your face," Ava huffed, though her attire suggested something more unthreatening. Ava went over to the wall that was just under the vent that lead to Kylie's room and started pounding again. "Seriously Kylie, turn that shit down!"

"She never listens, why even bother. That's what _silencio_ is for," Erin told her. Ava merely rolled her eyes. "What's the point in being a witch if you live like a muggle?"

"I like living muggle, its adventurous."

"Because dragons and spells are boring," Erin responded, clicking her tongue.

"I could die in a car accident. Seen one splinch, seen them all," Ava waved her off. Erin only hummed in reply.

"I have to go. I'll be home late though. Do you think you could feed Chester for me?" Erin asked, referring to her obnoxiously fat cat, and disposing of her dishes.

"Your class isn't until eleven."

"I have a date," Erin informed her.

"It's seven in the morning."

"And?"

"Fine! I'll feed the stupid cat."

"Thanks doll," Erin said before placing a kiss on her cheek and disapparating. How was it fair that her younger sister had a date at seven in the morning on a Friday, when she hadn't had one in six months?

The music had stopped and Ava could hear Kylie, her youngest sister, barging down the steps. She was fresh-faced in quidditch robes and her black pony tail bounced with each step.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked with a wide gummy smile. Ava instantly forgave her for the music.

"Whatever you're making," was the reply.

"Apple's fine then," she said taking one out of the basket. "I'll grab something at school too. Need my carbs for practice. I've been working on a bunch of new plays I want to try; we're definitely getting the cup this year. The Pudeator Panthers haven't a chance in hell." Kylie spoke in that over eager, fast paced voice only she could master.

"Good to hear," Ava told her with an affectionate smile. "Do you need any help with them?"

"Nope, this cap't has it all taken care of." Ava's smile fell a little.

"What about lunch? I could throw something together for you. I didn't think you'd be up this early."

"No thanks, early practice." Kylie said pulling her book bag over her shoulder. "I'll probably be going out for lunch. Last year and all, want to make it count."

"Is it a date?" Ava prayed it wasn't.

"No, not really. Not sure, honestly. Jacob just wanted to go out to lunch." It was a date, but Ava only felt relief. Jacob was the type of boy who you knew would take a while to start any physical contact.

"Well be careful," Ava said, as all sorts of terrible scenarios involving Kylie in life threatening danger with only Jacob Lamont for protection swirled around her head.

"Yes, mom," Kylie responded rolling her eyes, and exiting the room. She heard a faint "Love ya," before she knew Kylie had already flooed away.

"Love you too," she whispered to the empty room. Just then, she heard the jingle of keys, and laughter coming from the front of the house. She quickly went to investigate and watched as someone repeatedly tried to turn the knob. Eventually she lost hope that the person on the other side of the door would ever figure out how to properly use a key. When she yanked the door open, a tumbling Emma fell forward, only staying on her feet because of the masculine arm wrapped around her waist.

"Hiya Ava darling," Emma spoke through giggles, in her best mock Erin voice. It did not go that well as it was slurred and there was a bit of drool hanging out the right side of her mouth. Not to mention, Erin would most certainly not greet someone with "Hiya."

"Emma, I'm charmed," Ava responded, her tone flat.

"This is Stefan," she said in her best Dracula impersonation, making sure to spread her hand out on to her male companion's chest. There had been many things in Ava's life that she had been sure of. She had been sure she would win the cup her seventh year at Salem Institute, sure that Caden Mays had been the one to feel her up at that end of summer party, and sure that this man's name was most definitely not Stefan. People did not name their children Stefan. He was tall, much taller than Emma at least, and that was the only thing remarkable about him. He was a bland sort of fellow, with an average face, and common brown hair. Ava would forget it all the moment he was out of her site.

"Nice to meet you Stefan." It was not nice to meet him at all, because he was a drunken boy, her even drunker sister had decided to bring home at seven in the morning, for horrible drunken sex.

"Stefan just came over so I could show some of my paintings. He's very interested in art," Emma informed her, raising her eyebrows in a comic fashion, and grinning broadly. She always did this, made up some offbeat excuse for having company, even though she didn't need an excuse, she was twenty-one years old after all. She just thought it was funny to have an excuse, when everyone knew the truth, but wouldn't say it out loud. "This is my older sister, Ava."

"Nice to meet you Ava," he responded, smiling smugly and winking in what he thought was an attractive way. His eyes then wandered down to her legs and back up again, and Ava was again painfully aware of how she was dressed. "Will you be joining us to look at some art?"

Ava almost threw up in her mouth. Leave it to Emma to bring home a man who upon one minute of meeting her would suggest a threesome with her and her sister.

"No," she gritted out. "I will not." Emma only giggled, finding the entire perversion humorous.

"She's not a big art fan, doesn't get to take a look at it very often," Emma said, clearly implying a euphemism between art and sex. Stefan was amused. Ava was not.

"Why don't you get to looking at that art then," Ava said roughly, closing the door and locking it. Emma never locked the door. She was the very definition of immature, wrapped in a package of always too many whiskey sours and orange frizzy curls.

"Yes why don't we," Emma responded heading towards the kitchen with her one night only beau. Just before exiting the room, she shot Ava a wicked grin, amazing Ava at her ability to turn her head without falling down. Ava heard Emma struggle with the basement door before the lovers wandered down the steps and into Emma's basement bedroom. There was a small crash, but Ava thought nothing of it. It was not uncommon for Emma to fall, as her bedroom was somewhat of a death trap.

She went to retrieve her burrito from the kitchen counter, only to find it missing.

"God dammit Emma!" she yelled. She could not even have a too hot on the outside but frozen in the middle burrito. She thought that assessment pretty accurately summarized her life. She decided cheese curls and a bag of ham lunch meat was an easy and nice enough alternative to her stolen burrito. She spent the rest of her morning cleaning and doing various chores before cuddling up on the couch with ice cream to watch old Maury episodes. The action only made her more depressed about her life.

Her favorite television show's catch phrase was "You are not the father," after all.

There was a time when her life was different, when she didn't feel like she'd be a spinster bar maid for the rest of it. She was not overly popular in school, but she did have a lot of friends. Friends she now avoided in grocery stores in case they asked her how her life was. It was crap, and she didn't need anyone pretending that it wasn't. They would all be disappointed or secretly thrilled to learn that stubborn and confident Ava Kelly had failed at life.

She was continually single, and though she had never needed a man to define her, she sometimes wished there was someone who would ask how her day had been, or to make her eggs when she was sick. There was the whole sex component too, but Ava for the most part could take care of those needs. It was, however, pretty hard to cuddle yourself.

She did not even want to think about her career choice, though she supposed it wasn't much of a choice. She had just taken the job for money, money she desperately needed. She had big boobs, and wasn't half bad to look at, so it was an obvious choice, much to the chagrin of her self-respect. Maybe if she liked people and enjoyed mixing drinks, it wouldn't be a half bad career choice. But Ava hated meeting new people, and if she was in charge of making drinks at a party, she opened beers.

On her way to Macmillan's Tavern, her place of employment, she received a call from another Kelly sister. Ava could not escape them, as much as she believed she wanted to. After taking another drag of her cigarette, she pressed the phone button on her steering wheel, allowing Taylor's voice to come through.

"What?" she said.

"That's how you answer phones now?" Taylor asked.

"I'm on my way to work Taylor and I just had to turn off Lady Gaga to answer this call, so it better be good."

"I just wanted to see when you were coming over," Taylor said exasperated.

"For what?"

"You were supposed to help me look at paint colors and curtains." _Curtains?_

"What are you talking about Taylor?"

"Last week, I told you I needed help, and you offered. You said you'd come over one day." Ava could not remember jumping at the chance to pick paint colors and curtains.

"I-," she started but then remembered. She had been desperately tired, and Taylor had called her complaining about all the work her new house needed. She was having a meltdown over choosing the wrong color scheme. Ava, in a rush to get to sleep, had calmed her down by offering to come over, and help her decide.

"You were just trying to get me off the phone weren't you," Taylor said, reading her mind.

"Yes, but I'll come over anyway. I'm free tomorrow." It was her only free Saturday this month.

"Can't, the Auror department needs me to come look at a body. They're not sure about the cause of death," Taylor responded nonchalantly, reminding Ava of how uninteresting her life was.

"Then Monday night? I'll switch with someone."

"Works for me!"

"Great, now let me finish my cigarette in peace."

"I really wish you would quit," Taylor said, and Ava could imagine the scrunched up look of disgust on her face.

"One day. Love you Taylor," she said.

"Love you too Ava."

When Ava arrived at work, the usual scene greeted her. The music was loud, people were playing pool, and Toni was hanging off a bar stool. Toni was a short muscular man in his early sixties, who was a regular patron. He routinely declared his love for Ava and insisted she touch his muscles.

"Hey," he yelled as she went behind the bar to relieve Kathy.

"Hey Toni," she responded, with a smile. Ava was an expert at the fake smile and pretending to be interested.

"I love her so much!" he declared to the man next to him in his best drunken slur. "She's so beautiful." He reached over the counter to grab her hand but Ava stepped back. "How old are you?" Ava had told him her age every day since her first.

"Twenty five."

"She's a little bit too old for me, but I love her anyway." Ava was used to this, and didn't even bother trying to analyze what he said. It was always the same.

"I'm not trying to wreck your life," he informed her.

"I know," she said. For some reason it was becoming harder everyday to force the smile. She did however, as she counted her money, and began her shift.

"Good luck Ava," Kathy told her, as she looked around at the full bar.

Nine hours later, as Ava set the security alarm and locked up; she recognized Kathy's wish of luck was absolute shit. It had been one of the most grueling shifts of her life. Toni had pestered her for hours, until she finally called his daughter to come pick him up. Someone had taken a monstrous shit in the men's room, and instead of wiping their ass with toilet paper, had used napkins, clogging the toilet up. Ava hoped to never have to pull shitty napkins out of a toilet again. She had gotten into a brutal argument with a customer who had lit a cigarette in the bar and declared that it was a free country. Eventually she had just shoved him out the door, and refused to serve him when he returned.

Her feet were throbbing, and she could not wait to lie in bed. With her McDonald's double cheeseburgers and sweet tea in hand, she made the trek up to her front door.

"Ava," someone called, surprising her. It was 3 a.m. in the morning, and pretty dark out, so she could not see much. Ava should have known better, as she was usually prepared with her keys and her wand. She looked over to see Jack Fitzgerald walking towards her. He was wearing batman pajama pants with a worn out blue shirt, and he reminded her of every teenage boy Ava had known at Salem.

"Jack? What are you doing out this late?"

"I was waiting for you," he told her, and Ava could tell he was nervous.

"Is everything ok?" she asked, concerned for Mrs. Fitzgerald.

"Everything's wonderful," he said whimsically, and Ava noticed he was staring at her without blinking.

"Then what did you want Jack?"

"Well, I was just wondering…" he trailed off leaving Ava frustrated.

"Yes?"

"Well you see…"

She was so fucking tired.

"Out with it!" she yelled startling him. He nervously began wringing his hands and looked at the ground.

"You're so beautiful!" he blurted out. They then both just stood there in silence. Ava wasn't sure what to say.

"Thanks? Look Jack, I really need to go to bed. I've been at work, and my feet are really sore." His head snapped up.

"I could rub them for you," he offered. Ava stared at him, this lanky fifteen year old boy, with acne and a lip ring.

"That's ok Jack."

"Really, I don't mind. I would actually enjoy it." Ava widened her eyes.

"I should go to bed."

"I could come with you," he said.

"Excuse me?" Ava thought he was most definitely out of line.

"It's just, I really like you Ava. You're so beautiful and smart. And funny. And even though my mom says you're easy, I think I'm in love with you."

"You're mom thinks I'm easy?" she asked, and she felt like an idiot for it. That was not the most shocking part of this confession.

"She says you're the kind of woman that leads men astray," he said sheepishly. "But if that's true, I want to be led astray. I would really like to take you out."

Ava was overwhelmed. She hadn't been asked on a date in six months, and here was little Jack Fitzgerald asking her on a date. She remembered him as that annoying little boy next door that would sometimes follow Kylie around, who had turned into a video gaming home body once he hit twelve. To her, he was still a little boy, only slightly older. Her life was truly pathetic.

"This is inappropriate Jack," she told him, hoping to end it all. "I'm much too old for you."

"Age is a number. Love is forever." Ava didn't know what that meant.

"Yes well, still illegal."

"So that's the reason?"

"More than that, but I don't think we should be having this conversation. Good night Jack." Ava attempted to flee the scene as fast as she could.

"I'll think of you tonight," he called after her. Ava almost fell over.

The house was quiet when she entered. _Thank God._ She quickly disposed of her pants, because she could not find a reason for them to stay on any longer. She had grown out of her current size, but didn't have the money for more, or the skill to expand them. She usually ended up accidentally burning them.

"Do you ever wear pants?" Kylie asked her sleepily as they passed each other in the hallway.

"You wish," she responded entering her bedroom. She put on a rerun of _The Aurors_ on WizTv and set up her food for an hour of binge eating. Then her phone rang.

"What the fuck now?" she screamed frustrated. She looked at the caller id to see an unknown number.

"Hello," she yelled into the phone.

"Ava, is that you?" a familiar voice asked. Her heart immediately felt lighter and a genuine smile lit up her face.

"Scarlet?" she asked though it was unnecessary. She would know that voice anywhere. It was a voice she had known from the first day she entered this world.

"Yes! I hope I'm not waking you up, the time difference put me off a little. But I couldn't wait any longer, I had to call you," Scarlet spoke excitedly. Scarlet Kelly was the oldest Kelly sister, though most times, Ava felt like the oldest. She was currently in England, exploring the world some before she returned home to America. Ava had been anxiously waiting for her.

"No, it's fine Scarlet. How are you?"

"I'm wonderful, fantastic, any word you can think of that describes pure bliss." Ava laughed.

"What has you so happy?"

"I'm married!" Scarlet screeched. Ava froze, and felt her heart drop.

"M-married?"

"Yes! Isn't that wonderful?!"

"To who?" Ava asked disbelieving. "You're not dating anyone."

"We just met two days ago, and I know you're going to think I'm crazy and I jumped into this, but I'm in love Ava! I've never felt this way about anyone in my entire life. So please don't start lecturing me, just be happy for me. I love him so much, and I know you will too."

Ava's only romantic prospect was a fifteen year old boy who was now jerking off to her image and meanwhile her sister, her best friend, was married to a man she met two days ago.

"What's his name?" Ava asked, not knowing what else to say, in fear that she would release some type of judgment.

"James-James Potter."

"Hello sister," she heard a male voice yell through the phone as Scarlet giggled. Ava wanted to throw up.

She fucking hated her life.


	2. Marry You

**Chapter Two**

**Marry You**

"Oh, it's a beautiful night,  
We're looking for something dumb to do.  
Hey baby,  
I think I wanna marry you."

_Bruno Mars_

Scarlet Kelly was happy.

She was highly successful in her chosen field, had seen more of the world than she ever imagined, and had finally maintained a steady and healthy weight. Currently she was in England, working with Albert Munch on the many uses of asonite. She hadn't wanted to stop after her stint in Romania, since she was eager to get home to her sisters. Mr. Munch had been persistent though, and since she had never been to London, she agreed.

Three weeks later she was staying in a dingy flat working with Mr. Munch during the day and waitressing part-time at night. She did not want for money, but there was something romantic about living and working in London, especially as a waitress. It was an interesting life, and she had met many people around the city. It was an odd experience for her to be associating with people her own age, as she had begun a group study in Egypt four weeks after her graduation from Salem.

Walking down Diagon Alley on a particular nice Wednesday morning, she came across _Madame Lapelle's Salon for the Beautiful Witch_. Scarlet was intrigued, looking for a change after her fifty pound drop in weight.

"Welcome deary!" a woman in bright purple robes, with long sleek black hair greeted her. "I am Madame Lapelle, how can I be of service?"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Scarlet. I'm not sure. I was looking for a change." Madame Lapelle's eyes lit up, and before she knew it, she was being lifted and placed into a chair with the wave of a wand.

"I think I can help!" Madame Lapelle declared throwing a purple clothe over her. The more Scarlet looked around, it seemed everything was some shade of purple. Madame Lapelle placed her hands on Scarlet's shoulders and Scarlet met her eyes in the mirror in front of her. "Do you trust me?"

Scarlet did not, but this was all starting to sound adventurous. She lived a relatively boring life, despite her many travels. They were usually spent in potion rooms, or in an empty field growing some herb. So that is why she shouted "Yes!" in a confident and excited tone.

Madame Lapelle shook with delight, her lips forming a wide grin and her eyes huge with anticipation.

"So what's the occasion?" the older witch asked while mixing ingredients that did not have a label. That was not a good sign.

"None. I've lost weight, and I'm sick of seeing the same old dull me in the mirror."

"Excellent! You've come to the right witch! American, yeah?"

"Yes, ma'm. I go home in a couple of weeks."

"They won't know what hit them!" Scarlet's smile only increased in size.

Three hours later, after she had been pinned and probed, and underwent one horrible bikini hair removal spell, Madame Lapelle was done.

"My finest work," Madame Lapelle proclaimed, clapping her hands. Scarlet opened her eyes and did not recognize the girl in front of her. Woman, rather.

She was blonde.

Not just blonde, but very blonde. That was the only proper way to describe the color. Her golden locks had been turned into a wavy platinum. Scarlet didn't have a word for it. Her face was done up with more make up than she had ever worn, though that wasn't saying much. Scarlet thought mascara and blush were good enough. Despite the dramatic changes, Scarlet thought she looked pretty. More importantly, she felt pretty. For a second she imagined herself as one of those women who walked around in their heels, fashionably commanding attention and respect. She had never been one of those girls, and was more than not, intimidated by them.

"It's…"

"Wonderful! I know! I really have outdone myself this time. Now darling, your hair and makeup look fantastic. I have a bag of products here to help with the upkeep. You'll have to come back for refills of course. But on to a more pressing matter, these clothes must go."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Scarlet asked confused.

"You said you lost weight, but you're still wearing your old clothes. They're much too big. Now you must go shopping right away. No complaints. Here's the address to my niece's shop. She'll help you. Doesn't that sound nice? A fresh new start for a beautiful woman!"

Scarlet agreed, and that is how she found herself in the presence of Bridget Lapelle, fashion extraordinaire. Her hair was dark, and long like Madame Lapelle's, though she wasn't as eccentric. She was a couple of years younger than Scarlet, but seemed ages older.

"My aunt's done a wonderful job on you, and she is right, those drabs look terrible. Completely taking away your figure. And that color, awful for the skin tone. What were you thinking?" Bridget had been shaking her head and circling Scarlet. "No worries though, you're in capable hands."

"I want an entire new wardrobe then," Scarlet proclaimed. "I don't want to go through all my money though." Bridget smiled at her, a very sincere smile, and Scarlet knew she liked her.

"No worries, I've just opened this shop. My prices are reasonable, I need to make a name for myself after all." Bridget began shuffling through clothes, muttering phrases such as "No, no, this won't work," and "This is perfect." She sometimes would hold a garment up to Scarlet and take several minutes of deliberation with narrowed eyes before deciding if it was a yes or no.

Three hours later, Scarlet was outfitted in a peach ponte dress with a pencil skirt and ruched sides. Bridget had added nude wedges and a white stoned bib necklace for "dramatic effect."

"You look magnificent," Bridget complimented, more to herself than Scarlet.

"Thank you," Scarlet returned, doing her best impression of a sassy catwalk. The slight trip at the end did not do her any favors.

"Eh, maybe you should just stand there and look pretty," Bridget said, and Scarlet was floored. No one had ever told her to just look pretty.

"Thank you so much Bridget, but I really must be off to work."

"I'll send the other garments to your home," Bridget said, already dismissing her.

Scarlet almost fell five more times, as she flooed and walked over cobblestone on her way to Kirk's. It was a restaurant that centered around space travel, and was decorated with pop culture references from various science fiction shows. Ava thought that for a restaurant who's selling point was the future, they did a poor job of keeping up with technology. They still employed waitresses, after all.

"Fancy," Matthew, her fellow employee, greeted her. "What's with the makeover?" Matthew had a tattoo that made his face resemble a weeping angel from Doctor Who, so Scarlet did not think he should have been able to comment on anyone's appearance. She did not judge, however, and so she indulged his questioning.

"Needed a change. How are you Matt?"

"Well it's slow as ever, so there's that." Kirk's was not very popular, as the food was horrible. Scarlet stored her purse and coat behind the counter. "Someone just came in, you can take him." Matt did not work very often, and could be found writing _The Lord of the Rings_ fan fiction in seedy corners. Scarlet was a big fan of the book series, so she sometimes read over his work. She grabbed her tablet and approached the table, where a man in orange pants and a red sweater sat with his face pressed up against the menu.

"Hello, my name's Scarlet, how can I help you?" she greeted with her finger already poised in front of the tablet. The man lowered the menu, and looked up at her.

Scarlet almost dropped the tablet.

His eyes were brown, and they might as well have been a teleport, because Scarlet was transferred somewhere else. Her heart was racing, and her body was flaming.

"Hello," he said, not moving a centimeter. Scarlet now understood why Ava loved men with accents.

"Hello," she replied.

"You already said that."

"Did I?"

"I think so, things seem a little hazy." Scarlet was glad that she wasn't the only one that was flustered.

"I'm Scarlet."

"I'm James."

"You're really pretty," she said realizing that not even a make over could undo her awkward nature. He chuckled, not once looking away.

"You're beautiful."

"Really?"

"Absolutely." They both continued to stare at one another, but Scarlet didn't mind. She could stare forever. She took in every inch of his face, from the thin nose and full lips, to the slightly puffy cheeks that she knew would reveal dimples if he smiled. "Would you like to join me for some coffee and pie?" Scarlet blinked, trying very hard to release herself from this spell.

"I'm working." James looked around.

"There's no one else here."

"Then sure. Let me go get some coffee." Scarlet quickly walked away and grabbed an entire pot and a cup of orange juice. She sat down in the booth, across from him.

"No coffee for you?"

"I don't drink caffeine, it messes up my sleep cycle." James smiled, and Scarlet felt like she was in _Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom_, and someone had squeezed her heart. There were dimples.

"Smart," he said. "I drink way too much of it."

"It's not good for your complexion either."

"Didn't know that," he said rubbing the side of his cheek in contemplation.

"Not that there's anything wrong with yours. Your skin is crystal clear."

"It's the cream I use, it's super effective." Scarlet found herself bursting with laughter.

"You play Pokémon?"

"Poke a man?"

"No! You have to have heard of Pokémon! I thought you were making a nerdy joke."

"Sorry to disappoint, but it doesn't ring a bell."

"My younger sister Emma is obsessed with the games. They're all the same but she insists she has to own them all."

"How many sisters do you have?" he asked.

"Five."

"Wow! And I though growing up with one was enough!"

"Rough spot around the 13-14 age?" she inquired.

"Yup, except it never went away. Lily's the baby, so she's always been spoiled. Rotten really."

"How old is she now?"

"Twenty three."

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Just Lily and Albus, I'm the oldest."

"Me too!" Scarlet squealed.

"It's a tough gig."

"But someone's gotta do it," she said causing them both to laugh.

"You must have a huge family, with so many sisters."

"Not really, it's just them."

"Lucky! Mine's huge, and involved in every aspect of my life."

"It's because they love you. My sisters are the same way, I've just come to accept that no matter what I do, they'll all have different opinions."

"Nice philosophy. I wish it was as easy for me."

"What's the problem?" Scarlet saw the hesitation on his face as he debated whether to reveal his problem.

"It's my girlfriend." Scarlet's heart dropped. "My ex-girlfriend actually. We recently broke up a couple of weeks ago. They don't understand why we've broken up. They love her, always have. She was one of my brother's best mates in school, and my cousin's best friend. They're both pretty angry with me."

"Why'd you break up? Not that it matters, sometimes these things just don't work out."

"She cheated on me." Scarlet immediately reached her hand out and placed it over his and gave it a firm squeeze.

"I'm so sorry," she said tenderly. He responded by turning his hand around, and interlocking it with hers. Scarlet thought she should feel uncomfortable holding hands with a man she just met, but instead, she felt whole.

"Don't feel sorry for me."

"I don't!" she quickly explained. "I just know how you feel, and know how much it sucks. I've been there."

"Who would ever cheat on you? They'd have to be an idiot." Scarlet knew she was blushing, but didn't care.

"He was my first boyfriend. We dated for three years, and then at graduation, he told me he wanted to see other people. I found out later that he had already been seeing a lot of other people." James frowned then, and looked down into his mug of coffee.

"I was like him. I didn't have a three-year long relationship, but I cheated on my girlfriend's in school. You're probably repulsed."

"No, not at all. You were young, and so was he. I forgave him a long time ago. It's actually nice to see someone that's changed, it gives me hope that he did."

"You're really nice, you know that?" he said, giving her an appraising look.

"Thanks. Why don't you just tell your brother what she did?"

"She asked me not to, begged more like it. And I just don't have it in my heart to tell them. She really loves my family." Scarlet's affection for him grew tenfold.

"You're wonderful," she told him. She watched as a blush crept from his cheeks to his ears. His ears stuck out of the sides of his head more than natural, but Scarlet found it adorable. "How serious were you with her?"

"Very, I thought. I thought we'd get married one day, have a couple of kids. The works."

"And now?"

"And now with one look at you, I realize she's never made my heart feel like that."

"You felt it too?" Scarlet asked excitedly.

"Of course! It feels like I've been electrocuted!"

"I feel like I've been punched, only it was fantastic!"

"I feel like I've been assaulted by a hundred bludgers!" That woke Scarlet up.

"Bludger?" He suddenly looked very nervous. "You're a wizard!" His eyes lit up.

"You're a witch! This is perfect!"

"More than perfect." They both turned their heads as music began playing. Matt stood behind the counter, with a stalker like look on his face.

"Well isn't that creepy," James commented.

"He's more like a puppy, you just have to get used to him." James used his free hand to run it through his messy black hair. Scarlet felt the warmth in her chest quickly travel down to the space between her legs.

"Would you like to dance Scarlet?"James asked her tenderly.

"I'd love to."

That is how Scarlet found herself softly swaying with a fairytale prince as _The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face_ played in the background. Their two hands had never lost contact, and while his other hand was rubbing circles on her waist, hers was playing with the loose hairs at the nip of his neck. They had begun the dance by making eye contact, almost mesmerized. Slowly Scarlet found herself falling deeper and deeper into him until her cheek was pressed up against his jaw. His heart was racing against her own, and without warning, they both sighed into one another.

He smelled like mint. Scarlet loved mint, loved it so much she wanted to explode. She didn't think it was possible to keep so many emotions inside without a grand explosion.

When the song ended, they both stopped, but made no move to part. When they pulled apart slightly, just to look at one another, Scarlet thought she might cry.

"I think I love you," he said, brushing a portion of her hair behind her ear.

"I think I love you." And they were kissing with lips forming together in a perfect mold. His lips were chapped and rough, but it was perfect.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asked her.

"Sure," she said, and Scarlet quickly grabbed her purse and coat before joining James at the door.

"Where are you going Scarlet?" Matt yelled.

"I quit," she responded, feeling quite giddy.

James took her to a movie first. It was about two robots slowly falling in love and growing human emotions. At least that's what Scarlet thought as she didn't pay much attention to the movie. She was too busy whispering to James, causing them to receive many "shhhs" and dirty looks. The highlight of the movie had been when the two teens in front of them had started making out. James had thrown popcorn at them, causing them both to look around with embarrassed looks with every hit. Scarlet had demanded James stop, and had added a few light smacks to the chest to show she was serious, but kept giggling nonetheless.

Scarlet didn't know she could giggle until James.

Afterwards they went to a local café and ordered every type of pie there was. They talked for a very long time, about nothing and everything. James told her about his family from his Uncle Charlie to his Aunt Muriel. They both agreed that his cousin Dominique and her sister Emma would be the best of friends if they didn't first contribute to each others death upon their first meeting. Scarlet learned that James' favorite band was an electronic rock band named The Wonderful Wizards, while Scarlet embarrassingly admitted she loved show tunes. James' favorite drink was firewhiskey, while Scarlet loved any sweet wine there was. She laughed hard at a story he told involving his cousins Fred and Louis, and a three-legged cat.

"I love pie," Scarlet exclaimed after a particular delicious bite of apple.

"Me too. You know, you never did bring the pie at Kirk's"

"You wouldn't have wanted it, trust me."

"That bad?" Scarlet tried to think of a nice way to say that it tasted like dirt rolled in butter. James had begun laughing. "Merline you're cute."

"What do you mean?"

"Your face. You just scrunched it up and your lips got all tight. It was adorable."

"Should I be flattered?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't you be?"

"Well usually kittens and little girls are adorable."

"Would it help if I said you were sexy too?" Scarlet felt the warmth growing again, and she thought if James said sexy one more time, she might become a girl like Emma and escort him to the bathroom.

"Maybe." Scarlet was now even more aware that their legs were wrapped around one another, and that her shoeless foot was resting on his calve.

"Well then, I think you are very sexy Scarlet," James said, only there was a husky edge to his voice now. The air had become tense, and despite the many people eating pie around them, Scarlet could only focus on the slight twitch in his jaw.

"You too," Scarlet whimpered. James pulled money out of his pocket and began throwing it down on the table.

"Do you think this is enough?" Scarlet looked down to see enough money to put Erin halfway through law school.

"That's way too much," Scarlet said. James simply brushed it off with an "All well" and grabbed her hand. They were running out of the café, though Scarlet wasn't sure why because they didn't have a destination in mind. She could, however, feel anticipation building up in her and she acknowledged that they were most likely heading somewhere where she could become more acquainted with James' lips.

She found her assumption correct when he pulled her into a small alleyway and pushed her up against the wall. They were both laughing, and Scarlet was slightly out of breath from the run and trying to stay on her feet in wedges. Without a second of hesitation, she found her arms wrapping around his neck while his took up residence on her low lip and upper side.

They were kissing again, and nothing had felt so much like home. Scarlet was a witch, but knew that no matter how many spells she had cast or potions she had brewed, there was never so much magic shooting through her veins.

"Piss off you animals!" They were interrupted by a rough voice. They broke apart to assess the new intruder and were met with an older man, covered in grime and old clothes. His smell was slowly wafting up Scarlet's nostrils, confirming that this man had not taken a bath in some time.

"Sorry sir, were we bothering you?" Scarlet asked, genuinely concerned.

"Of course you monstrosity's were! It's impure, impure!" He began chanting "impure" while he pointed at Scarlet, and Scarlet thought he might have been talking about the hand that had somehow began a journey under her dress and up her thigh. She released James and took a step towards the man.

"My name's Scarlet, " she said, holding her hand out. The man hesitated for one very long minute where they all just stood there in silence.

"Ben," he responded, finally taking Scarlet's hand and shaking it.

"It's very nice to meet you Ben. Have you lived around here long?" Ben looked very uncomfortable for a moment, perhaps debating whether this blonde was mocking him.

"All my life," he finally said.

"How exciting! I'm from America and though I'm a city girl, it's nothing like London. I've fallen in love with it."

"It's shit," Ben responded incredulously.

"Oh no it's not!"

"It's overcrowded, the people are rude, and there's drunks like me every which way." Scarlet merely waved him off.

"Sacrifices of living in a city. It's got it's jewels too. Take that café just across the way. They have the best apple pie I've ever had, and I come from the land of apple pie!" Ben and James both laughed at that. "You have to try it, it's like heaven on a fork. It'll be my treat since you seem so unconvinced about the wonders of London." Scarlet pulled out enough money to buy enough apple pie ten times over and tried to hand it to Ben.

"No, no, I can't take your money miss," Ben said bashfully.

"No, please! I need to convince you that there's still good parts of London. Please go and try that apple pie. It would make me very happy." Ben looked like he would like nothing more than to make Scarlet happy so he took the money.

"I'll go and try it," he told her.

"That's great! Thanks Ben! It was so nice to meet you."

"You too Scarlet." Scarlet sent him along with a broad smile, and turned to James. He was ogling her like she had three heads.

"Is everything alright?"

"You're the best person I've ever met." It was the nicest thing anyone had ever said about her.

"Oh no, I'm not."

"Yes, yes you are." And Scarlet was locked in another kiss, that was filled with passion and zeal, as if James could convince her that she was the best person he'd ever met through a kiss. "Do you want to do something crazy?"

"What's that?" she asked, trying to grab his lips back to her own. James fought off her advances, and instead, took both her hands in his own, and bent down on one knee. "What are you doing?"

"Scarlet-" he stopped suddenly, waiting for her to fill in the blank.

"Kelly, my last name's Kelly."

"Scarlet Kelly, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, on the outside and inside. And I've never been very good with romance and that lot, but you make me want to do stupid shit like sing and eat an entire pie. I feel like I've always known you, and was just waiting to see you again. I know this might sound dumb and you might think I'm a lunatic, but I want to take a chance. A big chance on us, because nothing has ever felt so right in my fucking life. So, Scarlet Kelly, will you marry me?"

Scarlet was aware of the trash thrown around the alley, the moon shining on the drinkers of London as they cursed and stumbled through the city, the lights from the lampposts and neon open signs of various pubs and cafes. She was aware even more of James' beautiful brown eyes.

How could she say no to that? Not that James needed to even make speech, Scarlet would have said yes without it.

"Yes!" she cried, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. She had never cried from happiness before.

Things happened very fast from there. James bought them both a pair of sunglasses and trucker hats, and they were flooing and dissaparatting like celebrities on the run, hidden by their new garb. He had even grabbed some roses from a bush they passed. He had forgotten about thorns, and Scarlet had to do some simple healing spells.

She was laughing and kissing and just _being_ happy.

"This is it!" James declared when they finally found themselves in front of an old abandoned house. Scarlet assumed it was a wizard's home, charmed to keep muggles away.

"What do you want?" A short man, outfitted in Puddlemore United pajamas answered the door. His black mustache hovered over his upper lip.

"Scarlet, this is Alfie Clarke, my nutritionist. Alfie, this is Scarlet Kelly, my fiancé."

"Fiance!" he shrieked. "What the hell are you talking about James?"

"You're ordained right Alfie?" James asked, completely ignoring Alfie's outrage.

"Well yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I want you to marry us!"

"Marry you? When?"

"Right now!"

"Right now?" Alfie spread his arms wide and his mouth popped open in disbelief.

"Yup!" James clucked.

It took fifteen minutes for James to convince Alfie Clarke to marry them, and even then he spoke with grudging defeat. Scarlet had just stood by Alfie's side, amused. James was awful cute when he was trying to convince someone to go along with him.

"If I get any slack for this James.." he trailed off, because Alfie was not the type of man to make threats, let alone go through with them.

"You won't Alfie, this is all me."

"Alright." James and Scarlet took their places in front of Alfie, gripping each others hands. Alfie began the ceremony, reciting several spells before going on about love and the sacredness of marriage. It seemed Alfie was a romantic at heart. Halfway through a long Lord Byron poem, James thought it best to stop him.

"Alfie, how long is this going to take?" James asked. Scarlet wondered if James was just as eager to rip her dress off as she was to see what was under that ugly red sweater.

"Do not interrupt me James! I'm doing you quite the favor! If I want to do this properly, you will not interrupt." Alfie was very serious about this marriage business.

Scarlet and James made eye contact and giggled at each other like chastised children.

"Do you James Potter take Scarlet Kelly to be your lawfully wedded wife?" It was the first time Scarlet heard his last name, and though it rang a small bell in her mind, she was too happy to pay attention.

"I do." She watched as James took his wand and with a twirl, a simple brown knot formed around her ring finger and ended with a bow on top.

"Do you Scarlet Kelly take James Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." And Scarlet cast a similar knot on James' ring finger.

"By the power vested in me by the Ministry of Magic, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" James tipped her over and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. Alfie had to wipe the tears away from his eyes.

"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Potter!"

"Thanks Alfie!" Scarlet said and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, causing him to color all over.

"Yeah, thanks Alfie! Lets go Mrs. Potter!" James dissaparated them to the nicest hotel she had ever seen and quickly checked them into a room.

Only when she noticed her reflection in the elevator door did she realize she had gotten married in a trucker hat. James picked her up, and she found her arms and legs easily forming around his body. There were kisses and squeezes everywhere, and Scarlet wasn't sure how they made it to the room and onto the bed.

James was trying hard to pull her dress over her head, but it just wasn't working, as it was tight fitted. Meanwhile, Scarlet had her own battle with a hideous red sweater that she was straining to pull over James' head. The abs beneath were well worth it. There was one point where Scarlet had blinded James with the sweater as he was trying to squeeze the dress over her large breasts.

"To hell with this," he declared throwing the sweater off himself, and flipping her over. He unzipped the dress, pulled it down, and threw it across the room faster than you could say Mississippi. He lowered himself between her legs to remove her underwear, and never came back up. It was not the first time a man had used his lips to pleasure her, but it was the first time Scarlet could compare it to discovering the cure for lycanthropy. When he was done, Scarlet thought it best to return the favor, before they launched into the big finale.

She thought she should have felt insecure and uncomfortable showing her naked body to James for the first time, but she never felt more sure about a sexual act. James' very touch had comforted and insured her that all of this was right. After they were done, they laid on their sides, intertwined with only the sound of their heavy breathing. James was running his hand up and down her side while she played with the lobe of his ear.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you," she responded, giddy from sex. Her heart almost fell out of her chest, until her stomach growled.

"Hungry?" he asked with a loving smile.

"Very." They ordered tons of room service at James' insistence. It was their honeymoon after all. They both drank wine, only dressed in their hotel robes, as they dined on the entire menu. James had made up a tragic play between two lobsters named Alfie and Byron, causing Scarlet to squirt wine out of her nose. James had responded by licking the wine off of her chin. They finished the evening by watching a Leonardo DiCaprio movie while James continually did his best impressions of the star. When they fell asleep, their naked bodies were so wrapped up in one another that you could not tell where one began and the other ended.

The pecking of an owl woke her up the next morning. She had wanted to stay bundled up with James, but the owl's insistence gave her no choice. So she left James, who was apparently a heavy sleeper.

"Alright, I'm coming." She opened the screen door that connected to their balcony, not even caring that she was in her birthday suite. She took the package the owl carried, and the owl quickly flew away. Scarlet stared down at the package, only to be astonished by pictures of herself. There was one of her and James kissing against the alley wall, another of them enjoying pie, and even one of James bending Scarlet over for their first marital kiss. The words "The New Mrs. Potter" flashed with every movement of the pictures.

"James," she called to him. He woke up and casually rested his head in his palm.

"Yeah," he said through a yawn.

"Is there something you have to tell me?" James looked at the magazine cover and gave her a sheepish look.

"Eh, about that."

Scarlet Kelly, _Potter_ actually, was suddenly aware that there was a very big part of James that she was missing.


	3. Landslide

**Chapter Three**

**Landslide**

"Well, I've been afraid of changing  
'Cause I've built my life around you  
But time makes you bolder  
Children get older I'm getting older too  
Yes I'm getting older too"

_Fleetwood Mac_

"Married? Can you believe that shit?" Ava spat, flipping through a binder of paint swatches that Taylor had taken the time to compile. She looked up from her place on the couch to address Taylor, who stood stock still staring at her blue curtains, one hand perched on her side. "I mean, who does that? People barely get married at all anymore, and she's just going to meet some stranger, and say why not? And of course I have to meet the newlyweds tomorrow."

"Do you think the green curtains would look better?" Taylor asked, tilting her head so that it looked like her brown curls were weighing her down.

"Green curtains? Are you listening to me at all?"

"Yes I am Ava, but you came over to help me pick out wall and curtain colors, not discuss Scarlet's marital decisions." Ava threw the binder down on the coffee table, causing it to flop open to a page of different shades of pink.

"Marital decisions!" Ava shouted. Taylor rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to repeat everything I say? Yes, marital decisions. If our sister wants to get hitched after one meeting, let her. It's none of our business, she's a grown ass woman. Scarlet's smart, and I say it's about time that she did something that makes us question her intelligence."

"We're her sisters, it's our job to judge her choices," Ava informed Taylor, entirely affronted.

"Yes, but it's also our job to be supportive." Ava scrunched up her face in confusion, wondering if someone was using polyjuice potion to imitate her sister.

"What the fuck are you talking about? When Cam dumped me, you laughed so hard, you spit rice all over my face."

"In my defense, it was only after the part where you told me you looked down to realize one of your bra straps had broken, and you had been flashing a nipple to him and the entire carnival." Taylor let out a loud laugh at the memory of her sister's first heartbreak and humiliation. "Now, back to the curtains before you get too off track."

"Who gives a fuck about the curtains? Your walls are beige! Green, blue, even fucking mellow yellow will look fine," Ava yelled, entirely angry at her sister's lack of worry about their oldest sibling. Over the weekend, Ava had let the idea of a married Scarlet brew in her head, and she had emerged Monday morning furious. She was too far gone in her anger to begin contemplating what her suddenly Buddhist like sister was trying to make her understand.

"Taupe!" Taylor screamed, giving her full attention to Ava.

"What?"

"My walls are taupe! You would know that if you had listened to anything I said."

"I assure you that if I picked up on any one of the ridiculous things you've said today, it would not be that your walls are fucking taupe." Taylor threw her hands up in frustration with a growl and stared at the ceiling, as if she was asking God for an answer to the complex question that was her sister. Slowly she turned to face Ava, her Pantera shirt riding up enough to show her cat shaped belly ring.

"Do you like the blue curtains? Or the green ones?" Taylor asked, putting strong emphasis on each word. Ava looked around at Taylor's living room, taking in everything from the picture of a Victorian girl at a lake to the rose painted vase on her side table. Something was not adding up.

"What's this about Taylor?" Taylor groaned and threw herself down in the recliner, facing defeat.

"It's about curtains Ava," Taylor said, though her voice sounded weak.

"This room doesn't make sense," Ava told her.

"What does that mean?"

"It means your living room looks like it's getting ready for tea time, while you look ready to drop acid and kick ass."

"Drop acid and kick ass, right on the to do list." Taylor flopped her legs on the coffee table, allowing her knee-length combat boots to make a heavy thud.

"Come on Taylor, why does your living room look like this? I mean, you have a painting of babies on your wall." Ava stared at the painting, a depiction of four babies rolling around in the grass, their heads bobbing to and fro while they laughed. Ava shuddered at the image, wondering how Taylor slept so close to something so creepy.

"Nick's mom gave it to me." Taylor frowned and leaned her head on her palm. Ava realized how tired she looked under the thick eyeliner and maroon lipstick. "She hates me."

"You did have sex with her son all over her house."

"That was years ago, you'd think she'd be over it by now. I mean, Nick and I have been together for ten freaking years! That's a decade!"

"Congratulations," Ava said, her voice monotone. Ava thought of the little blonde boy with messy hair that would run around with Taylor, doing anything she would say with a grin on his face. It was hard to believe that he was grown up and buying a house with her little sister.

"I'm serious Ava, ten years." Taylor's voice had taken a softer tone, and Ava knew instantly that whatever was bothering Taylor was no minor issue. Taylor's face had a sad edge to it now, and Ava was reminded of a similar situation when Taylor was only ten and at the beginning of her never-ending goth phase. Taylor had confessed then to Ava that she didn't feel like she belonged in their band of sisters. No one ever questioned that Emma and Erin were sisters, but they always took a second glance at Taylor's caramel skin. Back then Ava assured Taylor that feeling out of place and lost were just common Kelly sister emotions. You could not grow up the way they did without feeling them.

Now that Ava was older, and Taylor didn't look up to her as though she were some Goddess with all the answers, she wasn't so sure she could help her.

"What's up Tay?" Ava asked.

"Penis," Taylor responded. Whatever Ava was expecting, it was not "Penis."

"No joking around Taylor."

"I'm not! That's the really sad part," Taylor said, staring straight at the painting of the little girl by the lake.

"I don't understand."

"I've only seen one penis in my entire life!" Taylor exclaimed with dramatic hand gestures.

"Have you ever heard of the internet?"

"Ha ha, very funny Ava!"

"Well what do you expect me to say? You're being all mopey because you've only ever seen one penis. I can assure you, as someone my neighbor describes as "easy," they aren't all that great." Ava had taken to looking through the binder again, staring at a shade of green that she decided she hated.

"Jesus Christ Ava, it's not just about the Penis'!" Taylor cried, exasperated. They both couldn't help but laugh out loud at that statement, as it wasn't of the everyday variety.

"Now come on Taylor, the truth," Ava demanded once the laughter had died down. Taylor sighed, and threw her hands in her lap, accepting that she would have to make a confession.

"It's just, I've been in a relationship with the same boy since I was twelve. And suddenly, he's not a boy anymore, but a man, and we're buying a house and being grown ups. I don't know what grown ups do Ava."

"You thought they spent Monday nights looking through paint swatches and picking out curtains?"

"Enough with the curtains! I'll never ask you again. I thought you liked this shit anyway."

"What gave you that idea?"

"Oh don't pretend with me Ava, you might act like this big bad ass bitch, but I know you scrapbook and bake." Ava thought of the many books she had made over the years, holed up in her room, enjoying the only alone time she ever had. She had never showed them to her sisters, liking that she had a secret hobby so contrary to her personality.

"How do you know about the scrapbooks?" Ava asked, genuinely curious. She thought her locking charm was pretty good, considering how long she had worked on perfecting it. Charms was not an easy class for Ava, and she had studied for weeks, even going as far as to attend Charms Club for tips.

"You always asked Emma for extra copies of pictures, not to mention all the paper supplies you always bought, or useless items like deflated balloons you saved. What else could you be doing?"

"A shrine?"

"Not even you're that crazy."

"Gee thanks." Ava began chewing on her fingernails, an old nervous tic. "So, back to the penis problem."

"I just realized I'm on a one penis track. And I'm the only girl Nick's ever even kissed. At least I had Joey in sixth grade. What if he hates me one day? Or wakes up and regrets not getting some good lays before me?" Taylor was staring at Ava in hopeful anticipation of her answers. Ava thought Taylor was being an absolute moron. Anyone who spent five minutes in a room with Nick knew how hopelessly in love he was with Taylor. Taylor could curse him and scream in his face about how much of an ass he was, and he would only stand there with a dopey smile, waiting for her to finish. Afterwards he would make her a sandwich or give her a neck massage while she apologized, and he assured her that it was fine. No one had ever made Ava a sandwich after she yelled in their face. Usually they left to hurry and tell their friends about that "crazy bitch" they met.

"Do you love Nick?"

"Of course I love that asshole!"

"Do you think you'll regret never seeing another penis?" Taylor didn't respond at first, taking some time to contemplate a future where she would only see one penis, out of all the penis' in the world.

"I don't know, but I don't think so."

"There you have it then. Besides, Nick is the best thing that's ever happened to you. I would suck it up and be grateful that a man that great is okay with lowering himself to someone like you." Taylor kicked Ava in the knee, and Ava accepted that she might have deserved that. "But seriously Taylor, you and Nick are the best couple I know." Taylor smiled at Ava, knowing sentiments like this one were rare.

"Thanks Ava."

"No problem. Now Scarlet and this James Potter character, that's another story."

"Here we go!" Taylor grunted, leaned back in the recliner, and let the footrest come up.

"I don't understand how you all are so okay with this! I mean, of course this marriage is doomed for failure." Ava thought of each of her sister's various responses to the marriage announcement, and was displeased with each one of them. Taylor had laughed and went on about how she always thought Emma would be the one to elope. Emma herself had squealed and shook her hands maniacally for several minutes, and then expressed her disappointment that there was going to be no actual wedding she could party at. Erin had shrugged, and returned to her textbooks. Only her mumble of "bridesmaid dresses" had given any sign that she had understood the news. Kylie's had been the hardest of all, as Ava had to listen to two hours of her excited chatter about now being related to a famous quidditch player. She had then inquired about game seats, and conveyed a troubling wish to visit London. Not one of them had mentioned Harry Potter, astounding Ava, because though she might have been the only one obsessed with history, she knew he was famous enough.

"Then they'll get a divorce."

"And Scarlet will just come out fine from that, won't she?"

"She'll be devastated, but she's a big girl, she'll get over it."

"Oh yeah, on my shoulder. Lets not pretend who she'll come crying to when this all goes up in flames."

"I know that Ava, but there's nothing you can do, she's already married. And if you haven't noticed, she's on the cover of pretty much every English wizard magazine. If it is a mistake, it can't be erased."

"It is a mistake," Ava affirmed. "And that's another thing, Scarlet can't handle the pressure of media! She doesn't do well with people. They'll walk all over her! And those pictures, they look nothing like her! I mean, who's doing these shady editing jobs. If that bastard has anything to do with it, I'll-"

"Ava!" Taylor howled, cutting off her rant. Ava paused, realizing her hands were balled up in angry fists. "I know Scarlet can be naive, and despite how incredibly smart she is, she can be perceived as ditzy. But you can't protect her forever. You can't protect any of us anymore."

Protecting her sisters was the only thing Ava had accepted she was good at.

"I know," she admitted sadly, leaning back, and releasing some of the anger that had welled up inside of her.

"Focus on you now. It's Kylie's last year, and she's not a little kid anymore. She can take care of herself." Kylie growing up and becoming an adult with real world problems was just about the saddest thing she could think of. She had tried so hard to protect her from the harsh realities of their lives, hoping that she at least could turn out with some fragment of normalcy.

With a pop, Nick apparrated before them.

"About time you got home!" Taylor yelled at Nick. "You said you'd be home an hour ago."

"Sorry honey, was a little held up." Nick was wearing jeans with a wrinkled button up, and Ava couldn't help doubting Nick's usefulness as an Auror. "Hello Ava! Staying for dinner?I'm making chicken parmesan."

"Sorry, can't. I have to wake up early tomorrow to meet Scarlet's new husband."

"Heard about that one. It'll be nice to have another man at the dinner table."

"Another man? You're usually the pansiest one at the table," Taylor scoffed.

"Well with you and your sisters, that's not really an insult." Nick kissed the top of Taylor's head as she scrunched up her face in distaste at his affection. "See ya later Ava, let me know what James is like." Nick continued to the kitchen, on his quest to make chicken parmesan.

"If you ever do want to see another penis, tell that one to give me a call."

"What happened to sisters before misters?"

"Only an idiot would put a sister before that mister." Ava gave Taylor a pointed look, and Taylor responded with a glare.

"Get out of my house."

"With pleasure," Ava responded, standing up and grabbing her purse. "All the decor is making me nauseous anyway." She smacked Taylor on the side of her head before heading towards the door.

"Be nice tomorrow Ava!" Taylor called after her, and Ava tried very hard to convince herself that such a request wasn't impossible. James Potter had stolen her sister, and carried her off to a life that would only result in tears and ice cream. It might have been some exciting night for him that he could gain publicity from, but Ava knew Scarlet, and knew this marriage was no joke to her.

She gritted her teeth as she stomped down the pathway leading to her car. If James Potter thought he could take advantage of her sister, he had a one way ticket to her fist. This thought stayed with her all the way home and through her restless sleep. She dreamed about chasing James down with a bludger and knocking him off his broom, so that he could never prey on unsuspecting girls again. It was not the safest dream to have the night before you met your brother-in-law for the first time. It only magnified Ava's anger, and when she awoke, she thought about taking a quick trip to a quidditch supply store.

**James Potter, Maimed by Bludger.**

Now that was a headline Ava could be delighted over.

However, she didn't have much time to plan a murder, as she had awoken with only forty-five minutes until she had to be at the restaurant. One quick shower later, and the panic of being late had started to hit her. Ava surveyed her closet, quickly dismissing various outfit choices as they either didn't fit or made her feel uncomfortable. She rummaged in the back, hoping there was a dress she had forgotten about, but luck again had fled her presence. She dug around in her drawers, surprised to realize that her wardrobe now consisted mainly of t-shirts and jeans. She had always been more of a leggings and dress kind of girl.

"Erin!" she called on the other side of her sister's bedroom.

"Yes?"

"Do you have anything I can wear?" Ava didn't bother with respecting privacy as she pushed Erin's door open. Erin sat at her vanity fully dressed, her wand gliding through her hair as she straightened it. Erin's eyes moved over Ava's body in quiet deliberation.

"You're too fat to wear anything I own."

"Oh Fuck you!" Ava returned to her bedroom and propped herself down on her bed. She stared into the mirror hanging over her dresser, taking in her sad appearance. She needed a haircut, and badly. Her split ends were causing her hair to seem frizzy and dead. Not to mention the bad do-it-yourself dye job she had was fading, and her light brown roots were replacing the faded auburn. What made that self-conscious voice in the back of her head tingle the most though was the bulge of her stomach. It had once been flat and tan, but now it stood out as a pale token of failure.

With reluctance, she stood up and threw on an old lace dress that had once been her favorite. The navy color had always gone great with her skin, and it had highlighted her thin waist without making her breasts seem overly large. Now, the sleeves were too snug, her stomach stuck out, and her breasts were one wardrobe malfunction away from popping out. She quickly threw her hair up in a clip, and pushed a headband back to hold in any stray hairs. It would have to do.

Who did she have to impress anyway? Certainly not James Potter.

Ava had to floo several times across state lines to get to the restaurant. Scarlet had told her that James thought it best to meet in America, as he wasn't as famous, and there was less chance that the press would follow him. You had to purchase a flooing permit to travel across countries, and though money was not a problem for James, Ava had always found plane tickets cheaper. The restaurant itself was an old diner in the middle of no where, chosen only because it was owned by a witch, and you could floo directly to it.

When Ava stepped out of the fire place, she felt that her temper had not placated. However, she did not have much time to think about it, as she was roughly pushed to the ground. She tried to catch herself, but only ended up knocking her wrists on a bucket of umbrellas.

"Shit!" she yelled when her elbow hit the wall. She grabbed it as though her touch could calm the vibrating ache that had begun creeping up her arm.

"Sorry about that, I never was very good at using the floo network," a voice spoke above her. She looked up to see a man hovering over her with his hand held out towards her. Ava couldn't take in much of his appearance because all she saw was red.

"Why don't you watch where the fuck you're going next time!" She was on her feet, ignoring the dull pain that extended from her wrist to her elbow.

"Excuse me?" he asked astounded. His English accent only reminded her of why she was her, furthering her anger.

"Maybe that's something you should of said before you barged into me like a fucking boar." He didn't respond, and Ava stared at his shocked face, noticing that he couldn't have been much older than her.

"Maybe you should move out of the way next time. This floo network wasn't just made for you, your highness." Ava thought he made a good point, but she didn't care. Men were foul creatures that thought they could just go around and get away with anything, like marrying women and pushing them out of fireplaces.

"Oh go back to your own fucking country!" she shouted as she walked away. She wasn't proud of that statement, and tried to suppress the shame that was sneaking up her spine. She had probably just proved every terrible stereotype about Americans to him.

"Ava! There you are!" Scarlet's voice rang, like music to her ears. It had always had a relaxing effect on her, and Ava couldn't suppress how much she missed it.

"Scar!" She ran to the voice and flung her arms around Scarlet's neck, for an instance forgetting why she was even here. Scarlet's light laugh brought her back.

"Late as always, I see." Ava took in Scarlet's appearance, and noted that no one had edited those magazine pictures.

"What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look like a fucking Stepford wife." Ava reached out and took a piece of Scarlet's hair between her fingers, examining it like it was alien mucus. "Did you fall in a bucket of bleach?"

"Language," Scarlet commanded, reminding her that this was her Scarlet after all. "And no, I just wanted a change after I lost all that weight."

"Did he make you do this?" Scarlet's head slanted in confusion at her sister's gritted words.

"Who, James? No, of course not! Actually, I had all this done the day I met him." Ava let out an accusatory "hmm." "It's not like that Ava, he's not like that. I know you're going to love him, you just have to give him a chance. Please give him a chance." Scarlet's wide eyes were begging her, and since they had always been her kryptonite, she relented.

"Fine, but if he's a fucking asshole, I'm telling him so."

"Ava! Could you please calm down with the 'F' word?"

"But Scarlet, I always like to throw a good fuck in there." Scarlet gave her a scolding look, but Ava noticed her eyes were filled with amusement. That was confirmed when she let out a chuckle.

"I've missed you so much Ava."

"Me too," Ava replied, giving her sister's hand a squeeze. They shared a silent moment of acknowledgment of one another, and Ava felt all the memories of her sister flash through her head. They were so much older now, but Ava still thought of Scarlet as the quiet girl who would read textbooks too big for her, and try her hardest to be interested in everyone else's hobbies.

"Well lets hurry to the table, I don't want to keep James waiting. And his brother's coming. Sorry I didn't tell you, it was decided last-minute." Ava was disheartened to learn that she would not have an advantage over James, as he would have an ally by his side. Ava took a couple deep breaths as she followed Scarlet, repeating "this is for Scarlet" over and over again in her head. Scarlet stopped at a table where two men sat, and Ava looked up to meet an angry scowl.

"You!" the man accused. It was the man from the floo network. Ava mustered up the angriest facial retort she could, and was happy to see him flinch.

"Oh Ava, what did you do?" Scarlet asked, her voice laced with worry.

"Me? Why does it have to be me that did anything!" She turned to her sister, trying to convey that she was very disappointed that Scarlet thought so low of her. Scarlet only waited for an answer. Ava thought it was unfair that she was being judged so harshly. Yes, she had an anger problem. And yes it did seem like trouble followed her everywhere she went. But she wasn't always at fault. She raised her arm, extended one condemning finger at the man, and cried in her best victim voice "he pushed me."

The man looked mortified as he blanched backwards in his seat and replied "that's a lie!" in a similar fashion.

"It was an accident. She told me to go back to my own country!" Ava recoiled slightly and felt her shoulders scrunch up with that familiar shame. Scarlet gasped from beside her.

"You didn't," Scarlet whispered in outrage.

"He pushed me first," Ava defended, knowing it was a weak defense. She lowered her arm, feeling like an idiot for having had it hovering in the air for so long. The other man cleared his throat.

"Maybe we should start over?" he suggested.

"That's a great idea," Scarlet beamed, taking a seat. She pulled Ava into the booth beside her. "Ava, this is James, James this is Ava." Scarlet gestured to the man that had cleared his throat. Ava nodded, too afraid she would open her mouth and release a crazy person rant about the sacredness of marriage. He smiled widely at her in return.

"This is Al, my brother."

"It's great to finally meet you Al, James has told me so much about you!" Scarlet was trying way too hard, Ava noticed. Her smile was too big, and the happiness in her voice was a smidge forced. By nature, Scarlet was a happy and glass full girl, but not this happy.

"Maybe finally's not the right word, seeing as you've only just met James yourself." Ava could hear the bite in Al's voice, but she wasn't sure if Scarlet could. Scarlet giggled and grasped James' hands, which had been lingering in the middle of the table. Ava stared at their interlocked fingers in distaste, and drew her eyes up to James' face. She guessed he was attractive if you were into those type of men, but Ava was long past that phase. Besides, his ears stuck out too far, giving him the appearance of a monkey.

"Well that's true, but it feels like its been years," Scarlet responded, her voice low and dreamy. Ava decided she needed some water to swallow all this sap. When she saw a passing waitress, she took her chance.

"Excuse me ma'm!" she called to the woman in jeans and a Bruno Mars t-shirt.

"How can I help you?" the waitress asked. "Ready to order?" Ava looked around the table, and received various degrees of yes.

"Sure," Ava said, quickly taking a look at the menu. "Can I get a cheeseburger with everything, including hots. And can I get a side order of gravy? And a glass of water. Oh, and can you add mozzarella sticks to that?" When Ava was done ordering, she looked over to meet Al's judgmental gaze. It certainly didn't help the perception that she was a fat ass when Scarlet and James ordered salads. Al himself ordered a cheeseburger without all the extras.

"So..." Scarlet stated cheerfully before trailing off into silence. James quickly jumped in to save her.

"Ava, Scarlet tells me you're a bartender?" Al snickered from beside his brother, as if this is exactly what he was expecting from a woman like Ava.

"Yeah. I hear you play quidditch." James seemed taken aback by her understatement, and Ava could clearly see he was used to everyone just knowing about his quidditch triumphs.

"Yeah, I'm a chaser for Puddlemore."

"Just like you were Ava," Scarlet interjected.

"Not for Puddlemore," Ava said. Scarlet looked stricken for a second, realizing she might have made a mistake in bringing up her sister's washed up quidditch career.

"No, but Ava used to be amazing."

"What happened?" Al asked, condescendingly, looking straight at Ava for an answer. Ava tilted her head to the side to meet his green-eyed gaze.

"Is Al short for something?" she inquired. Ava was happy to see the blush that formed on his cheeks.

"Albus," James interjected with a laugh. Ava thought it right to add her own snicker. "He hates it though, so I would just stick with Al."

"I don't know, I like the sound of Albus," Ava said through an insincere smile.

"I think it's a lovely name," Scarlet added, her statement coming out more truthful. "But if you prefer Al, Al it is. So Al, James tells me your a Healer?" Of course he would have some fancy job where a God complex was involved, Ava thought.

"Yes, I am." Albus responded.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes." Ava watched as Scarlet waited for him to expand on his statement, but Al stayed silent, staring into space.

"He's really great," James chimed in. "Al graduated at the top of his class, and was the best intern St. Mungo's ever had. If you ever have an unexplained illness, Al's your man."

"That's fantastic!" Scarlet beamed. "Your parents must be really proud of you both. A quidditch star and a Healer!"

"How do yours feel?" Al asked, and Scarlet's face looked like it had been struck. Before Ava could even raise her fist to punch off his holier than thou look, their food and drinks arrived. They passed around each others orders, and Ava resisted the urge to spit in Al's food. As a consolation prize, Ava ripped off the end of her straw packaging, and then blew the straw in Al's direction. She watched in triumph as the paper hit him in the eye, and then quickly looked down at her food. She felt his eyes on her but ignored them until she felt a hard kick to her shin.

"Shit!" she yelped, leaning down to rub her shin. Her glower was met by his snarky smile.

"What happened?" Scarlet asked.

"Nothing," Ava gritted out. "I just hit my leg on the table." She tried her best to ignore Albus from that point.

"Oh," Scarlet said. "This salad is delicious, you should try some Ava."

The conversation went from there, and Ava listened to a retelling of the events involved in James and Scarlet's nuptials. When one would begin a part, the other would interrupt, beginning a game of "You tell it," "No, you." The constant banter between the two was giving her a headache, and she thought if one of them didn't just tell the story soon, she was going to get up and leave without a second glance back.

"Will someone just please tell it?" Albus shouted out, shocking them both. Ava thought if she didn't think he was such an ass, she would thank him. James was the one who went on to tell the story.

"And that's how it happened," James finished. Ava sat there, stunned, still holding the same gravy fry that she had picked up when James began. Ava didn't know if it was more shocking that Scarlet had told a man she loved him within an hour of knowing him, or that they had been married by James' nutritionist.

"How romantic," she said, and though she was sure Scarlet caught her sarcasm, James showed no indication.

"Another Romeo and Juliet," Albus piped in.

"I know you two probably think we're crazy, but it's love, I'm telling you." Ava concluded that if James smiled anymore, his jaw was going to begin to crack. "We should all take a holiday together soon, to get to know each other. This one lunch isn't going to help much. I'd like to meet your other sisters too."

"I'd like to meet your whole family," Scarlet said.

"We could take a trip to South America, I've always wanted to go. Maybe a trip to Guam?" Ava gave him an incredulous look.

"I think you might mean somewhere else. Guam's in the Pacific near Japan and New Guinea, " Scarlet told him with an affectionate smile.

"Oh right, sometimes I mix up the Oceans." Ava thought that was the least of his problems. "You'd think I would get it with there only being two of them." Ava wanted to scream that he was dumb as fuck, so to stop herself, she grabbed her waitress.

"Do you serve alcohol?" she asked. The waitress looked around at the family environment and Ava's eyes followed. She took that as a no. The waitress leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"I have some shorties I can slip in your water if you're desperate." Ava nodded enthusiastically with a thankful smile. The waitress took her empty glass of water off the table.

"It's a shame, I really could go for an appletini," James stated, and Ava found more reason to dislike him.

"Here's your water, " the waitress said, sitting the glass in front of her and giving her an exaggerated wink. Ava gulped it down as fast as she could.

"You must be really thirsty!" James pointed out, temporarily stopping his rant against french dressing. "Like I was saying, ranch is clearly the superior dressing. Why would you even mess with french?"

"I prefer Italian," Scarlet admitted.

"Italian's okay with me," James said with a goofy grin. Scarlet giggled and they both leaned over the table to meet for a kiss.

"I like Italian too," Albus revealed with raised eyebrows.

"I'm not kissing you," Ava said roughly. She held her empty glass up to the waitress and shook it, and the woman returned a thumbs up. While reaching for the pepper, she felt the strain of her dress sleeves, but decided to ignore it. It turned out to be a big mistake when she heard the unmistakable sound of her dress ripping. She paused, her fingers two inches away from the seasoning. She watched as big hands picked the shaker up, and pushed it into her face.

"Did you need this?" Albus asked, and Ava could hear the distinct sound of laughter in his voice.

"Did your dress just rip?" Ava loved Scarlet to death, but she wanted to smack her for stating the obvious.

"No," Ava barked out to Albus, and began smashing french fries into her mouth. His lips curled up in distaste when she decided that it would be best to chew with her mouth open. Scarlet made the good call of letting the subject drop.

"Can you split it two ways?" Ava asked after James requested the check.

"Oh no, that's fine, I'm paying," James interjected.

"Uh no, split it two ways. Scarlet and I can pay for ourselves." There was silence after she spoke, and while taking a drink of her vodka water, she asked "what?"

"Ava, why would I split the check with you?" Scarlet retorted. Suddenly, it hit Ava that Scarlet really was a married woman.

"Just put mine on a separate bill then," Ava instructed quietly.

"No, really, I'm paying."

"Not for me!" Ava shouted, losing her temper for the first time. They were silent after that, sitting awkwardly while waiting for the check. Ava swiftly paid for her part, taking note to leave a big tip for her bartender. They walked to the floo network together, Scarlet joining Ava while Albus and James lagged behind.

"Isn't he great?" Scarlet whispered in a too girlish voice.

"Yeah, a regular Einstein." Scarlet smacked her arm.

"Oh shut it Ava, so he thought there were only two Oceans, everyone makes mistakes. Stop judging him already. You two could be great friends if you gave him a chance."

"I'll try harder next time," she sighed.

"Maybe without the alcohol," Scarlet reprimanded. "Or maybe with more, I can't decide which would help."

"Definitely with." They stopped in front of the fireplace to say their final goodbyes, and the brothers joined them. "I guess this is goodbye."

"Just for now," Scarlet responded wistfully. "We're looking at some apartments, and when we find one, you have to come over and help me decorate. Maybe you can help me pick out the curtains."

"No!"

"No?"

"Call Taylor. She's already got swatches." Scarlet nodded and went in for a hug.

"I love you Ava."

"Love you too Scar." Ava fought hard to ignore the choked up feeling rising in her throat. When they separated, James came over as Scarlet went to say goodbye to Albus.

"It was great meeting you Ava! You're just like Scarlet said." Ava put out her hand to shake, and when James took it, he pulled her forward so she collided with his chest. Before she knew it, she was in a bone crushing hug. She met Albus' eyes over James' shoulder when he became wrapped up in his own hug from Scarlet. She was sure his unbelieving facial features matched her own.

Scarlet waved the entire three feet walk to the fireplace before she flooed away. James followed shortly after, giving a silly face right before he disappeared.

"After you, your highness," Albus spoke while bending over and moving his arm in a grand gesture. Ava squared her shoulders back and marched to the fireplace with all the grace one could after ripping the back sleeves of their dress. When Ava turned around in the fireplace, she saw Albus impatiently tapping his foot with his arms crossed. Deciding she wanted to piss him off even more, she raised both her middle fingers to him, and shouted her destination.

The incredulous look on his face would keep her entertained all night.

"How was he?" Emma exclaimed when she returned home. Ava proceeded to the liquor cabinet, pulled out a bottle of Jameson and poured it into the first glass she could find. It happened to be a measuring cup.

"He's a fucking idiot," she responded before taking a big gulp of the whiskey, bringing the measurement down from two cups, to three-quarters of a cup.

* * *

**Thank you so much WhatsTheTimeMrWolf, sassy, daenarys, dee, wishfulthinking123, and anyone else who's taking the time to follow this story. Your reviews made me so happy! I'm also really glad that there is an obvious difference between Ava and Scarlet. I knew going into this that distinguishing between all the sisters was going to be my toughest challenge. If you notice any mistakes, please let me know. Thanks again. :)**


End file.
